Equalizing support for ladders



March 31, 1953 w. DERBY EQUALIZING SUPPORT FOR LADDERS Filed Sept. 8, 1948 INVENTOR WILRED DERBY- FIG.

Patented Mar. 31, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EQUALIZIN G SUPPORT FOR LADDERS Wilfred Derby, Boston, Mass.

Application September 8, 1948, Serial No. 48,216

1 Claim.

This invention relates to supporting means to be secured at the bottom of a ladder, the means being adjustable to equalize the support of the ladder when the ladder rests on an uneven surface.

It is an object of the invention to provide supporting means for a ladder which will hold it in an upright position when the foot of the ladder is on uneven ground. It is a further ob ect of the invention to provide supporting means for a ladder which affords a more stable support than is provided by the foot of the ladder itself.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing, of

which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ladder with a support embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the lower portion of a ladder to which an embodiment of the invention is secured;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2.

A conventional ladder consisting of side pieces l and rungs I2 is illustrated in Figure 1, leaning against the side of a wall 14. It is always desirable that when a ladder is in use, it be properly supported so that it will not slip to one side or the other as it is apt to do if resting on an uneven surface on which only one side piece of the ladder engages when the ladder is in its proper upright position. In order to compensate for irregularities of supporting surface, I provide equalizing means, as illustrated in Figure 2. Such means include a channel member which is elongated so as to extend from approximately the mid-point of the lower rung of the ladder to the lower end of one of the side pieces Ill. The channel member 20 has a loop 22 attached to the upper end thereof, this loop being adapted to embrace the lowermost round [2 of the ladder and to be clamped thereto by a suitable bolt 24 which passes through the loop and through an eye in the upper end of the channel member 20. A tongue 26 of reduced width at the upper end of the channel member can be bent back on itself in order to form the eye through which the bolt 24 passes, as indicated in Figure 2. At the lower end of the channel member is a flat extension 28 bent at an angle to the channel member so as to be horizontal when the channel member is secured in place. This extension 28 may be fastened to the bottom of a side piece ID of the ladder 2y any suitable means, such as a, wood screw Slidable in the channel 20 between the side walls thereof is a strip 32 of suflicient weight and strength for the purpose required. This strip slides longitudinally within the channel and is thus in telescopic relation to the channel. The strip is frictionally secured in any position of adjustment by clamping means consisting of a transverse member 34 secured to the side walls of the channel and extending across the strip 32. This transverse member 34 is drilled and tapped to receive a set screw 36 having a head 38 thereon. A lever or handle 40 passes through a hole in the screw head 38 to facilitate setting up the screw tightly so as bind the strip 32 in adjusted position within the channel 20. The lever 40 may be slidable within the hole in the screw head and may be provided with knobs 42 at either end so as to retain it in place and to permit it to hang down out of the way when not in use.

In order to avoid the possibility of trouble owing to the slipping of the strip 32 in spite of the binding engagement of the set screw 36, I provide a positive stop against which the upper end of the strip will engage if the strip starts to slip. This step may be in the form a pin 44 which is thrust through any one of a series of holes 46 in the bottom of the channel member 20 and is readily removable therefrom to permit upward adjustment of the strip 32.

In order to prevent loss or mislaying of the pin, a lanyard 48 is provided therefor. The lower end of the strip 32 is bent to provide a foot 50 adapted to rest upon the ground. If the strip is adjusted downward, the foot projects out laterally beyond the side piece ID of the ladder and thus provides a wider support for the ladder than is provided by the bottoms of the side pieces Hi. This gives added stability to the ladder.

As shown, it is preferable to provide two such channels and strips, each being secured by a loop 22 to the bottom rung [2 of the ladder near its mid-point and extending diagonally to the bottom of the respective side pieces of the ladder. Since both of these devices are identical with each other, the foregoing description of one will serve for the other.

It is evident that various modifications and changes can be made in the embodiment of the invention herein described without departing 3 from the scope or the spirit thereof, as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A ladder leg equalizer for a ladder having side pieces and rungs, comprising an extension memher for each of said side pieces, each of said members consisting of a channel member having one end portion underlying and attached to the end of a side piece of the ladder, said channel member extending substantially to the median of the lowermost rung of the ladder, means for securing said channel members to said lower.- most rung of the ladder, a slide member in each said channel member, and means for securing said slide members in various selected positions in said channel members.

WILFRED DERBY.

4 REFERENCES CITED lhe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 432,263 Dilts July 15, 1890 435,266 Vieregg Aug. 26, 1890 548,111 Cardarelli Oct. 15, 1895 742,288 Charles Oct. 27, 1903 1,241,392 Johnson et al. Sept. 25, 1917 1,272,551 Smith July 16, 1918 1,592,499 Padgett July 13, 1926 1,862,171 Baker June 7, 1932 2,293,188 Brice Aug. 18, 1942 2,517,771 De Stefano Aug. 8, 1950 

